Apology version 2
by harrysmom
Summary: Who needed to apologize for what happened between them, Ron or Hermione? What really happened in the infirmary? A Ron and Hermione missing moment.


A/N: _This started as a challenge and I never back down from one. In order for this to work you have to believe that Hermione is as much to blame for the situation she and Ron find themselves in during Book 6. I did some research and while it is true that Ron was incredibly nasty and mean after he found out about her kissing Krum, Hermione never really let on that she liked Ron anymore than a friend. Yes, she gave him clues but they were subtle at the most. Hermione was mean, bossy, rude and basically did everything a 10- year-old would have done to let a boy know she liked him. Ron, on the other hand was either way too oblivious or analyzing every movement she made. When he had found out that she actually had kissed someone and he didn't, that was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. That led him to Lavender and the whole mess. They were both to blame._

_I think we can all learn something from them. Say what you feel and don't leave anything open to interpretation._

_I hope you enjoy it because I think I got it right._

harrysmom :)

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Thanks to jenorama for the wonderful comments and suggestions. 

The best beta in the world is doraemon.

A big, huge hug goes to the beloved but _seriously arrogant _muse BuckNC who has the ability to take my writing and make it better. He is also able to rile me up and get me to write with more emotion than I ever thought possible.

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**From BuckNC:** _I've "borrowed" her account and reposted this story on the great and wonderful FanFiction instead of waiting weeks for her to post it on the lousy Checkmate site. I've never been a huge fan of Checkmate and Harrysmom hasn't been feeling so well lately, so while she's sick I've decided to sneak in without her permission and post it under her account. Hey, what can I tell you – I might be seriously arrogant but I also got skills. :P_

_Anyway, Harrysmom and I wrote this little one-shot fic after I read her first posting of this fic and I helped her to make numerous changes. I think this version more accurately reflects the moment Ron and Hermione shared in the hospital wing in Book 6 particularly from a male point of view that seems to be missing from a great many of these.  
_

_I'm sure you will be a fan of it as much as I am – so please review! The more reviews we get the less angry Harrysmom will be with me. Ha! Oh I almost forgot be sure to ask Harrysmom to post more frequently and with multi-chapters fics instead of one-shots too._

_

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**From harrysmom: **_

First of all, you may have gotten in here buddy, but it will take way more than a password change to stop me. Secondly haven't you always said that I did the male POV (aka Ron) very well? Give the credit where the credit is due. Thirdly, NO MULTI-CHAPTERED FICS. 

thank you.

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These characters belong to the wonderful world of JKR. Butchering of said characters belongs to me.

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**Apology version #2**

By, harrysmom

Hermione Granger did not notice as the sunlight slowly moved across the walls of the infirmary. When she first arrived, the room had been bathed in bright sunlight; now it was cast into shadow as the afternoon turned to dusk. She didn't notice as Madame Pomfrey bustled from bed to bed, checking charts, and softly talking to patients lying there. She didn't even so much as turn to look at any of her schoolbooks that were in a neat pile on the bedside table next to her. Instead she sat hunched over, her elbows on her knees, her fingers laced under her chin, carefully watching the even rise and fall of the blanket covering Ron's chest.

It had been hours since he had croaked, "Er-my-nee." Madame Pomfrey insisted that he'd sleep for a while but Hermione wasn't taking any chances. She wanted to be there when he woke up. She wanted to know why he called for her; she _had_ to know why he called for her and not Lavender. There was no way she was going to leave this situation unfinished a moment longer. She had things to say to Ron. They had apologies to make, questions to ask and most importantly answers to give.

"Hermione?"

She quickly turned her head towards Ron and frowned when she realized that it wasn't him.

"Hermione, I don't sound a thing like Ron and you know it," Harry said as he walked towards her. He pulled up another chair and sat down beside her. He patted her back once and Hermione sighed. "Madame Pomfrey said it might be hours before he wakes up. Why don't you come down to dinner with me?"

Hermione shook her head, her eyes never leaving Ron's still form. "No, Harry. I need to be here when he wakes up. There are… things I have to say and honestly…" she looked over at Harry for a moment, "there are things _he_ needs to say." She stretched her arms out and slowly moved into an upright position, wincing as her back cracked loudly in the quiet room.

"Hermione," Harry began again, "I don't think he's going to be in any condition to talk when he wakes up. Why don't you come with me and we'll have Madame Pomfrey send for you when he wakes up. He's going to sleep for hours. He was poisoned and that takes a lot out of a bloke."

Hermione shivered as she thought of the way Ron looked when she first saw him in the infirmary. "Harry," she began very seriously, "I want to thank you for saving his life."

"Stop," Harry said firmly. "He's my best mate and I'd do anything for him. Just like I'd do for you."

"Yes, but Harry, you remembered the bezoar. I wouldn't have and I don't think Ron would have, either. You _really_ saved his life." Hermione shifted in her chair again as she discreetly wiped the corner of her eye with her hand. "We've all been through so much. And for the longest time I didn't understand why Ron did half the things he did." She smiled as she looked back at Harry. "I've been sitting here thinking, going through everything in my mind and the thing is… I understand him now. I didn't before, but I do now. Ron is everything that I'm not, but somehow… I get it now. I need to tell him."

At the sound of his name, Ron moved in the bed and groaned softly. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and they both watched as Ron shifted his body and slowly blinked open his eyes. He squinted first at Harry who smiled as he said, "You had us worried there for a bit, mate."

Ron looked a bit confused as he blinked at Harry. "What happened?" Ron asked his voice still raspy.

He looked over at Hermione, a look of surprise flashing across his face as if she was the last person he ever expected to see.

"Ron, are you okay?" she asked with worry.

Ron cleared his throat but still managed to talk in the same raspy voice. "I… I'm fine, Hermione."

Hermione smiled as she watched Ron become more alert to his surroundings. This brought forth a reminder from Madam Pomfrey.

"Ron, Madam Pomfrey said that you need to take a spoonful of Nutrients Potion when you wake up."

Ron immediately gave Hermione a look of disgust then started shaking his head that he wasn't going to take the potion. Hermione worried at his refusal, knowing that she might have to force him to take it for his own good.

"Ron, you have to take this," stated Hermione, pouring out the green liquid potion from a bottle on his bedside table onto a spoon and then holding it in front of a Ron who was staring at the spoon with a look of disgust.

_He can be such a child. _"Ron, this is for your own good; now please take it."

Ron's lips scrunched even tighter as Harry started to chuckle in the background. Hermione on the other hand wasn't finding it a bit funny and started to scowl at Ron. He soon noticed the look on her face and after he flashed a pleading look toward her she responded by raising an eyebrow and shaking her head that no, he wasn't going to get out of swallowing it. He frowned in defeat and then reluctantly opened his lips as Hermione dutifully shoved the spoonful of potion into his mouth. She waited patiently while he coughed and sputtered as he swallowed the potion.

Hermione unwisely asked, "Now don't you feel better?"

Ron looked dumb-founded at Hermione as he cheekily replied, "No, how could I be – it was disgusting!"

Harry burst into laughter as Hermione tilted her head and pointedly looked at Ron to behave.

Ron after settling back into his pillow asked again, "What happened?"

"You don't remember, Ron?" Hermione questioned him. She watched as his gaze went from Harry to her and she could have sworn that he smiled at her but it was so quick she couldn't be sure.

"No, the last thing I remember is eating a piece of that chocolate Harry had. The rest is a blur." Ron looked from Hermione to Harry and then around the room. "How did I get into the infirmary? Was the chocolate dodgy? I remember feeling a bit funny after I ate it." He looked over at Harry, a puzzled expression on his face. "What happened after that?"

Hermione cleared her throat and stared hard at Harry. He nodded and stood up from where he sat. "I'll let Hermione explain. I'm hungry and I don't want to miss dinner. I'll come to check on you later. Feel good, mate." Harry clapped Ron on his back and turned to leave the room.

"Harry, can you do me a favor please?"

"Sure Ron. What?"

"Tell Ginny, I'm okay."

"No problem," promised Harry, smiling at the two of them before leaving.

Hermione stiffened a bit being alone with Ron after several weeks of them not speaking. Still, she realized that she had things to tell him.She closed her eyes and breathed in and out. She needed to keep herself together. _This is going to be difficult but I have to do this. I have to know._ She opened her eyes to find Ron was looking at her curiously. She cleared her throat, smiled at Ron and then slowly laid her hand on top of his.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. My throat hurts but I'm fine. What happened, Hermione?"

"You were poisoned, Ron. You drank poisoned mead in Professor Slughorn's office right after you ate love potion-tainted chocolate. Harry saved you with a bezoar. He got it down your throat and they managed to get you here."

"A love potion… stupid Lavender," Ron replied as he lay back against the pillows frowning.

_Lavender, why would he think Lavender? _"Ron, it was Romilda Vane who brewed a love potion for _Harry_," Hermione explained as she watched Ron's expression change when he realized it wasn't Lavender who had made the potion.

He sighed in understanding then ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it. Hermione knew he did that whenever he was nervous about something. _Maybe he wants to say something to me._

"Do you want to say anything to me, Ron?"

"No," he answered as he looked back at her expectantly. "Do _you_ want to say anything to me?"

Hermione couldn't believe that he didn't have anything to say. There was so much to say! She figured that she might as well get the conversation started. "Are you going to apologize for the way you've treated me these past few weeks, Ron?"

"Am I what?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Are you going to apologize to me?" Hermione stared at him.

"For what? I was the one attacked by a bunch of ruddy birds."

"For treating me the way you did for the past few weeks. You either pretended I didn't exist or you were incredibly nasty."

"You were the one who didn't talk to me," Ron said adamantly. "I tried to talk to you right after I got back from Christmas and you ignored me like I wasn't even there."

Hermione jumped up from the chair. "I… I… well what was I supposed to do after watching you and Lavender make fools of yourself in the Common room every night."

Ron glared at her from his position on the bed as he responded. "I thought we were best friends? Humph, I guess you were too busy to notice, with you constantly writing love letters to Vicky or taking Cormac to the Slug Party."

Hermione felt blood drain from her face and she sat back down, with a thump, on the chair.

"Hit a nerve did I?" Ron sneered at her. "What's the matter, you found out that someone wanted to kiss me like you kissed Vicky."

Hermione didn't know what to say. She just stared at Ron, trying to gather her thoughts. How could he have possibly found out about _that_? Hermione shook her head. It did explain the way he had been treating her for the past few weeks. She had always planned on tell him when then tine was right. Apparently, it was time to get everything out into the open.

"Ron," Hermione began, "I admit I _did _kiss Viktor; right after the Yule Ball, but I did it because I was so angry with you. You don't realize, even to this day, how much you hurt me with your so-called invitation to the Ball. All I wanted was to go with you, but you never asked me."

Ron stared at her. "I didn't know that."

"I don't know how you didn't know, Ron; I was being obvious. I'm not the best when it comes to flirting. I haven't read any books on the subject. So when Viktor asked, I said yes because I was tired of waiting for you to ask, but you have to know he wasn't my first choice." Hermione paused for a moment and stood, walked to the window and peered into the darkness. "When you said you didn't think that anyone had asked me yet so we should go together, I was so angry and hurt I didn't know what to do. I got back at you the only way I knew how." She turned away from the window and faced Ron. "I got dressed for the Ball and when I looked into the mirror before I left the dorm, I said, 'Take that, Ron Weasley'. I actually looked _good_ and I _wanted _to make you suffer for your insensitive comment about me being a girl."

"Well it worked," Ron muttered under his breath. "I bloody well suffered all night!"

Hermione moved back to the bed and gingerly sat down at the edge of it. Ron moved his legs over so she had some space and she slid over a bit so her side was touching Ron's hand.

"But you still didn't get it," Hermione said softly, "even after I tried to explain it to you in the common room. Maybe I didn't use the right words, I don't know … but I know that after that night, something was different between us. I didn't know how to act around you anymore so I did what I do best. I was bossy, commanding and sometimes I was even mean to you. I didn't know what else to do. I figured that if I made you angry enough, you'd confront me. You never did." Hermione lowered her head, hoping that Ron wouldn't notice the tears that were forming. "Last year, when I kissed you before the Quidditch match, I was so nervous. I thought that would tell you right then and there how I felt. I guess it didn't." She laughed, a hollow-sounding laugh and she looked up again, seeing Ron's eyes widen as he noticed the tears. She started to wipe at her eyes but she felt a slight pressure on her hand. She was shocked when she saw Ron had grabbed her hand and was squeezing it gently.

"Go on Hermione," Ron smiled and Hermione felt her heart leap.

She took a deep breath and continued. "This year we were getting along so much better, I was so happy. I thought that maybe things were going to be different. I thought maybe you would finally say something to me. I caught you looking at me from time to time, you teased me, but in a nice way, and you actually looked me in the eye when you spoke to me …" Hermione's words trailed off as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. She shook her head, cleared her throat and continued. "Then all of a sudden there was NOTHING. You ignored me, you were nasty and sometimes even cruel and I had no clue why. When I saw you snogging Lavender, it was like you ripped my heart right out of my chest. It was supposed to be _me_ you were kissing, not her. _I_ was supposed to be the one you dated, not her!" Hermione took her free hand and swept away the tears from her cheek. She smiled weakly at Ron whose eyes had not left her face. "I asked Cormac to Professor Slughorn's party just to get back at you."

Ron thought of what she had just said before following up with a question. "So you _really_ don't date only good Quidditch players."

Hermione almost groaned at the cruel comment she had made before the party. "No, that comment I made about good Quidditch players was meant to hurt you as well."

Ron coughed slightly and began to speak. "Hermione, I'm ---" but Hermione cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Ron, if I could go back to the night of the Yule Ball I would. If I could change how I acted that night maybe things would have been different. I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to tell you how I felt. I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I didn't know what else to do. You're my best friend Ron and I realize that I don't want to lose that and … I made a mess of everything." Hermione started to sob as she attempted to stand up from the bed. She was astonished to feel Ron's hand grab her arm and gently pull her down to lie next to him in the bed. He shifted his body so that she could lie beside him and she laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him reach up and stroke her hair softly.

"I'm sorry too, Hermione," he whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you these past few months. I should have just asked you about Krum and Cormac."

Hermione lifted her head and stared at Ron. "Yes, you should have. It would have saved us all a great deal of trouble."

Ron rolled his eyes before admitting on what she said, "You're right, I'm a prat sometimes." Ron then grinned as he pushed her head back down onto his chest. Hermione listened to the sound of his heart beating as she wiped at the tears but she smiled to herself and replied, "A lot of the time."

Ron said nothing as he continued to hold her. After a few minutes he broke the comfortable silence, "So where do we go from here?"

Hermione sighed into his chest. There was still one more thing she had to know. "Ron?" she asked, still not looking at him but instead looking at his long legs under the blankets, "When you were first brought in, you called out … you called out for …me. Why?" she finished softly. She felt Ron hold his breath and she turned her head to look at him. His ears were turning red, a sure sign that he was embarrassed. "Why, Ron?" she asked again, stronger this time. She watched as a myriad of emotions paraded across Ron's face; it was as if he was playing a whole conversation out in his head. He closed his eyes, swallowed hard and when he opened his eyes again, Hermione could see they were bright and glittery.

"I don't remember too much about what happened when I was brought in. I remember hearing voices, my mum, Madame Pomfrey, my brothers… I think, and I'm not quite sure whom else. All I wanted to know was what was happening and as hard as I tried to ask, I couldn't. I was scared, no one was saying anything and then, I heard you. I knew you'd tell me. I remember thinking, _I need Hermione_," Ron stammered.

Hermione looked at him knowingly although she knew her cheeks were turning as red as his ears and neck. _He doesn't realize what he just admitted_, she thought as she put her hand on his face.

Ron placed his hand on top of hers as he looked back at her. "I guess what I realized right then was I need you Hermione. I do. I need you to tell me the truth, to call me a prat, to boss me around, to nag me, to make me drink my potion, to smile at me, to make me laugh. Bloody hell, I need _you_." With that Ron turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand.

Hermione's eyes opened wide and she moved up to kiss him on the cheek. He pulled her against his long form and she nestled her body against his. "So where do we go from here?" Ron asked again as he played with a strand of hair that lay across his chin.

"I think we both know the answer, Ron, but there are things that must be taken care of first," Hermione said very seriously.

Ron nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, I need to take care of …things. It will be much easier if I know you'll be here," Ron said as he turned to look at her.

"I'll be wherever you are Ron." Ron smiled at her and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ron?"

"I'm sorry I took so long. I guess it took me a while to realize what I was missing."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Neither one of them said anything further on the subject. It wasn't necessary.

"_Something just ended," _Hermione thought as she snuggled on the bed with Ron. _"But somehow I know, something better is beginning." _


End file.
